From the moment I was chosen by the holy relic

That night, Eric returned to the knights' camp and selectively explained the situation to his superior. As for Eileen and Kadir, he chose not to mention them for the time being. His superior was already used to tomb raiders trespassing on the border, so he didn't think much of it. Instead, he ordered his men to collect the tomb raiders' corpses and arranged for Eric to send the treasure to the royal city.

The next morning, Eric took out silver coins from his meager savings and went to a nearby town to buy two sturdy horses.

Then, Eric and Irene met in town and prepared to head towards Orion, the capital of Nosteria. Before setting off, Eric looked at Irene's attire. Her long ears and golden hair were too eye-catching in the sunlight, and she could easily attract unwanted attention. So he found a hooded cloak and handed it to Irene.

"Eileen, put this on first to avoid attracting attention," he said with a smile.

Eileen paused slightly, thinking that this silly boy was quite thoughtful, and obediently pulled on the hood. Beneath the hood, her golden hair peeked faintly from the shadows of the cloak, obscuring most of its brilliance, yet still subtly revealing a strange, soft glow. Eric, on the other hand, donned a simple yet sturdy brown trench coat, making himself look more like an ordinary traveler.

After everything was ready, they embarked on their journey to Orion.

Throughout the journey, Eric remained vigilant, constantly scanning his surroundings to ensure the safety of the trip. Eileen, on the other hand, sat quietly on horseback, focused on her own thoughts, occasionally glancing at the ancient book in her bag, pondering how to decipher the magical secrets hidden within.

In the afternoon, sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, and the rhythmic sound of horses' hooves echoed along the muddy path. The two remained silent until Eileen finally broke the silence.

"Eric," she said softly, "why don't we keep the book and the sword a secret? Are you really going to hand them all over to the King?"

Eric shook his head firmly, his eyes revealing his determination: "Everything I've done is for Nostria. The sword, the pendant, and this book are all national treasures, the property of the king. Only the king can decide their fate."

Eileen couldn't help but admire his loyalty in her heart, her tone tinged with sarcasm: "Your loyalty is truly admirable."

Eric ignored her tone and said earnestly, "The King is our protector, a symbol of justice and order. As a knight, I must uphold his trust and honor."

Eileen smiled coldly, thinking to herself: What a stubborn knight. But such people are the easiest to control and the least troublesome. She said nothing more, but silently made up her mind: once the secret in the book is unlocked, she will never easily hand it over; it will be her own secret.

As dusk fell, their figures were gradually swallowed by the night as they headed towards Orion. On this tranquil road, two travelers with different plans embarked on their journey together, yet their paths converged, leading them step by step towards the place where their destinies would intersect.

As night slowly descended, stars peeked out from behind the clouds, their faint starlight adorning the deep blue sky. The gentle thud of horses' hooves echoed on the soft, damp earth, creating a soft, muddy sound.

Eric walked ahead, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily, his hand unconsciously tightening on the hilt of his sword. Eileen followed behind him, her long golden hair hidden by a hood, revealing only her face, blurred by the campfire's light. She occasionally glanced down at the bag beside the saddle, silently pondering how to decipher the secrets of the ancient book.

"Looks like we won't be able to find a hotel tonight." Eric stopped and turned to look at Eileen. "There's an open space here. Let's make a fire and spend the night."

Eileen looked around and nodded slightly. "Alright, but I don't want to share a tent with you." She dismounted swiftly and cleanly, then flicked the edge of her cloak and began to clean the ground.

Eric chuckled as he set up the tent, replying, "Don't worry, even if you were willing, I might not be." His tone was relaxed, but he didn't stop what he was doing. Soon the tent was up, and he piled up firewood on the ground, preparing to light a campfire.

Eileen casually waved her hand, and a pale blue light emerged from her palm, instantly igniting a flame that warmed the surroundings. Ignoring Eric's joke, she sat down by the fire and took out the ancient book from her bag, beginning to read. The flickering firelight reflected on her face, making her appear focused and calm.

Eric stared at the flames. Just as he was about to reach for the dry rations in his backpack, he noticed a rabbit cautiously peeking out from the bushes not far away. His eyes lit up, and he quietly picked up a stone from the ground, quickly aimed, and hurled it. The rabbit fell to the ground with a thud.

"We've got an extra treat tonight!" Eric returned carrying a rabbit, a smug smile on his face. He handed the rabbit to Eileen. "How about it? Pretty cool, huh?"

Eileen glanced at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "You're lucky, but don't expect me to help you with the preparations. I'm just responsible for cooking it." She put the book aside, gently raised her hand, and a few dried herbs floated into her palm, clearly indicating that she had already prepared for the stew.

Eric pursed his lips, skinned and cleaned the rabbit, cut it into pieces, put it in an iron pot, and added stream water and herbs. He placed the pot on the fire, sat back down by the campfire, and occasionally stirred the meat in the pot with a twig. The aroma gradually spread, and the flames danced, casting long shadows of the two men through the woods under the night sky.

Eileen picked up her book again and continued studying the mysterious text. Eric looked up at her, wanting to find something to talk about to pass the time, but he couldn't bear to disturb her concentration. Finally, he poked at the fire and sighed, "How boring. All you do is read all day."

Eileen didn't look up, but simply said, "Being boring is better than being ignorant; at least I can learn things from books that will be useful for the future. What about you? Besides wielding a sword, what other strengths do you have?"

"I can also catch rabbits," Eric replied casually. He looked down at the bubbling broth in the pot. "Alright, come and try my cooking."

Eileen took the wooden bowl Eric offered, took a sip, and nodded slightly: "It tastes better than I expected. It seems you're not just a silly swordsman."

Eric grinned, scooped up a bowlful, and bit into a piece of rabbit meat. The firelight reflected on his youthful face, making him look exceptionally satisfied. "Eileen," he suddenly said seriously, "I've always wondered why you would venture into a place like this all by yourself?"

Upon hearing this, Eileen lowered her head and pondered for a moment before calmly saying, "I come from a small town in Iser, and my family is very poor. My parents spent almost all their savings to send me to magic school. After I graduated, I couldn't repay them, so I had to work for expeditions to support my family."

Eric was taken aback for a moment, then his expression turned admiring: "You're truly remarkable. My parents are ordinary farmers; they supported me to become a knight, hoping I would work hard and give my family a better life."

A hint of mockery flashed across Eileen's eyes, but she didn't show it. She thought to herself: He's far too naive. The path to wealth in this country has long been blocked by the nobles; the efforts of the common people only make them richer.

But she just smiled faintly and said, "You and I are both fighting for our families, which is remarkable."

Eric nodded, a relieved smile on his face: "Eileen, I really admire you. Supporting your family with your own abilities and learning such powerful magic, someone like you is truly worthy of being a friend."

Eileen looked up, paused for a moment, then smiled slightly: "Friends? That sounds good. Let's be friends then."

The firelight gradually dimmed, but the atmosphere of the night warmed up because of their conversation. The horses grazed quietly, and the two sat by the campfire, accompanied by the aroma of rabbit meat and the gentle night breeze.